Sunday, September 7, 2014

August 24, 2014 Driving to Denali National Park


After breakfast in Anchorage, we headed north to Denali National Park. Since this is Alaska, there are many things to do along the way. So we stopped in Chugach State Park and hiked to Thunder Bird Falls despite the fog and misty rain.

This state has quite a few amusing signs, even without the graffiti comments. My first thought was "who hikes with a Sharpie?". But there were cliffs along the trail so it could have been a warning about falling or someone really cares about erosion and is willing to kill those who hike off trail.


This made me laugh out loud...repeatedly throughout the day.

Here's Karen with that infectious smile & Ken who definitely has the look of an explorer along the trail. 

Thunder Bird Falls

We stayed on the viewing platform because the hike down into the gorge does not give you a view of the falls....and because you have to hike back up.

Next stop...Talkeetna.


We had lunch here. I enjoyed the Single Engine Red with lunch. I think we picked up a growler of the Agave Gold for later in our cabin.

Talkeetna is a funky little town that voted against the Parks Highway running through their town when it was constructed in the early 1970's. Since then Princess Cruise Line drops boatloads of tourists off here and it has lost some of it's charm. We had fun here anyway.

Sorry pal, no shirt no service.

Ken had to pose here because it is his family name...though he spells it differently. Here's a few shots around town.







A quick stop at the Alaska Veterans Memorial at Milepost 147....

...to pay our respect.

Our first major animal spotting...a female moose with two calves. They were eating the willow on the side of the road...a quick u-turn and...

...more than a few shots from all four of us.




Same moose different camera.






The only good shot I got of one of the calves.
We checked in at Carlo Creek Cabins. This sod roof cabin was home for Karen & Ken for the next three nights. After settling in we drove to Denali NP. You can take your private vehicle to milepost 14 in Denali. So we got out at the Savage River to take a look around...
...and were greeted by this sign. But no bears found us tonight,


Karen & Ken trying to stay warm along the Savage River. We did a lot of driving today. Tomorrow we relax on the Denali Shuttle bus...hopefully we will see the sun. But first a late night pizza for dinner on the way back to our cabins.


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